Nonprofit Utopia Podcast

Using History to Drive Positive Change

When Paul Norrington, one of the driving forces behind the creation of the K-Town Historic District, suggested that President Obama build his Library in North Lawndale, his neighbors laughed him to scorn. UIC eventually partnered with the North Lawndale community to submit a bid that made it to the final round of the Obama Presidential Library site selection process.   As a result, there is heightened interest in redeveloping the community.
Paul is currently spearheading the celebration of North Lawndale’s 150th anniversary celebration and is working with the Chicago History Museum to re-write the Wikipedia article on North Lawndale. Join us for a lively conversation on how communities can focus on a community’s heritage to drive positive change.
Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Rebroadcast: Navigating the Winds of Change

The nonprofit landscape is changing dramatically. In spite of the fact that the national and state economies are in recovery, and foundations are giving more money, many nonprofits are finding it difficult to raise funds.  The State of Illinois has unilaterally terminated nonprofit contracts and does not have a budget in place in order to make appropriations.  Foundations’ priorities are constantly changing, and generally speaking, do not fund organizations for the long term. Nonprofits must position themselves for sustainability in the market place.  Any discussion about sustainability must begin with strategy.
Join Valerie F. Leonard for a discussion on strategic planning. She will talk about what a strategic planning process is, and its relationship to business planning; how to develop a theory of change model; how to engage internal and external stakeholders to maximize buy-in; how to align strategies and programs with the organization’s mission, vision , goals and objectives and how to develop and monitor work plans.
Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Rebroadcast- Staying Relevant: How to Conduct a Community Needs Assessment

ome nonprofit leaders have a tendency to build organizations and programs around  issues  for which they have a passion.  They believe in their hearts that, “…if they build it, people will come…”  In other cases leaders continue to use program models that are no longer relevant to the communities they serve.   These practices can lead to duplication of services, while other needs go unmet. Tune in as Valerie F. Leonard talks about  community needs assessments.
Valerie is an expert in community and organizational development, with  a mission of strengthening the capacity of organizations to make a positive impact on the communities they serve through technical assistance, specialized workshops, resource and organizational development and project management. She also teaches online courses in nonprofit management with the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program. She has designed a number of intensive workshops to help nonprofits build capacity, including Capacity Building Blocks, the 30-Day Disclosure Challenge and the 30-Day Compliance Challenge.
Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.
Handouts: https://www.scribd.com/doc/294135609/Episode-27-Handouts

Monday, June 19, 2017 2:00 PM- 3:00 PM CST Episode 67: Can West Side Tourism Ben

“Chicago area heritage musicians still play today, often in obscure holes-in-the-wall for very little money, competing for limited spots in downtown clubs, or exporting their skills overseas.  At home, blues is an undervalued cultural asset.  Crain's business magazine in January pointed out the city is losing money for failure to promote it. Chicago's West Side has a deeply-rooted history of blues and soul music. What if we could promote it to help develop a local tourism industry?”  --Barrel House Bonni McKeown
Join “Barrel House Bonni” McKeown, bluesman Larry Taylor and me as the discussion continues on Nonprofit “U”.  We will talk about  the history of blues on the West Side, and how it may be leveraged to develop heritage tourism.
Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.